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E. Garth Vaughan

Born In: Windsor, Canada
Born: February 9th, 1928

Passed on: November 7th, 2012

Dr. E. Garth Vaughan, MD, CM, FRCS, age 84, died Wednesday, November 7, 2012, in Cape Breton, with his beloved wife of 36 years, Lauren, at his side. Garth lived a remarkable life filled with art, writing, music and service to others. He was a surgeon and general practitioner in Windsor, NS until 1990. Garth loved historical research and wrote books and articles, and gave talks. He produced a large body of visual art. He illustrated books, did cartooning, sign-painting, photography and woodcarving. His paintings won local and national awards and are in many private collections. He donated paintings for fund-raising for numerous worthy causes. He derived great enjoyment from playing accordion, fiddle, piano, harmonica and bugle, and performed with The Newfie Bullet band. He was renowned for his community and volunteer work. Born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, February 9, 1928, the fifth of seven children of James Alexander and Olive Pearl (Kilcup) Vaughan, Garth attended Windsor Academy, and left school at 17 to join the Merchant Navy. He served aboard Canada’s first hospital ship, the Lady Nelson. He studied for a career in medicine at Acadia and Dalhousie Universities, and Victoria General, Children’s and Grace Maternity Hospitals in Halifax. In 1954, he married Port Hawkesbury’s Muriel Hammett and they began their family. He organized a surgical team from VG Hospital for the Springhill Mine Disaster of 1958. Garth did post-graduate studies in surgery in London, England, then settled in Windsor. He lectured for the Canadian Cancer Society, served as a Payzant Memorial Hospital Board member, organized the formation of the physiotherapy department, and served on the building committee for the new Hants Community Hospital, and was a Member of Session at the Windsor United Church. Muriel died of cancer in 1974. In 1976 Garth married fellow artist Lauren Dougall. They established a business selling their art and pottery, and later became proprietors of Vaughan’s Stationery and the Imperial Theatre in Windsor. In 1990 Garth retired from medicine. In his first year of retirement he compiled a history of Windsor Academy for the reunion, researched local history, and was published in the Hants Journal. Next, he organized the Windsor Hockey Heritage Society, and in 1995 published his national best seller “The Puck Starts Here”. He established the Windsor Hockey Heritage Centre. In 2004 Garth wrote “Tommy’s New Block Skates”, a children’s book. While researching another book, “Historic Windsor”, he discovered the true location of Haliburton’s Long Pond, where ice hockey is thought to have begun. In 2006, Garth and Lauren and their canine companions moved to the family farm in Cape Breton to pursue their art. Garth joined the church at Little Narrows, telling the children’s story many Sundays. He volunteered at the Blues Mills L’Arche workshop. He was working on another history of Windsor, in 2010, the year he suffered a stroke. After heart surgery in 2012 his health further declined. He continued to enjoy art, music and storytelling and visits from family members and friends until the end. He was very happy on his last weekend with all 5 of his children around him, singing to, and with, him.
Garth was predeceased by parents Jim and Olive, sisters, Irma Rogers and Shirley Bowness; brothers, Harold and Ivan, and first wife, Muriel. He is survived by wife Lauren, sister, Pauline (David) Murdock; brother, Dr. Avery (Helena); children, Alex (Brenda), Kate (Guy Smith) Hammett-Vaughan, Lisa (Jim McLellan) Hammett Vaughan , Nicola Vaughan and Holly (Brian Hills) Hammett Vaughan and grandsons, Dylan and Asher Boates, Michael and Parker Vaughan, and nieces and nephews. In all he did, he gave of himself. He was loved, and will be missed, by many people.
Special thanks to the medical team at Victoria County Memorial Hospital and to many wonderful at-home care providers who helped so much in Garth’s last years.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no visitation. Funeral service will be Saturday, November 10, at 2 p.m. from Little Narrows Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Andrew MacDonald officiating. A reception to follow. Private burial to take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Victoria County Memorial Hospital or a charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury. Condolences may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com